Posted: December 12, 2010 by Davey D in 2010 Daily News, Political articles

On Thursday morning, December 9, 2010, thousands of Georgia prisoners refused
to work, stopped all other activities and locked down in their cells in a
peaceful protest for their human rights. The December 9 Strike became the
biggest prisoner protest in the history of the United States. Thousands of men,
from Augusta, Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons,
among others, initiated this strike to press the Georgia Department of
Corrections (“DOC”) to stop treating them like animals and slaves and institute
programs that address their basic human rights. They set forth the
following demands:

Despite that the prisoners’ protest remained non-violent, the DOC violently
attempted to force the men back to work—claiming it was “lawful” to order
prisoners to work without pay, in defiance of the 13th Amendment’s abolition of
slavery. In Augusta State Prison, six or seven inmates were brutally
ripped from their cells by CERT Team guards and beaten, resulting in broken
ribs for several men, one man beaten beyond recognition. This brutality
continues there. At Telfair, the Tactical Squad trashed all the property
in inmate cells. At Macon State, the Tactical Squad has menaced the men
for two days, removing some to the “hole,” and the warden ordered the heat and
hot water turned off. Still, today, men at Macon, Smith, Augusta, Hays
and Telfair State Prisons say they are committed to continuing the
strike. Inmate leaders, representing blacks, Hispanics, whites, Muslims,
Rastafarians, Christians, have stated the men will stay down until their
demands are addressed, one issuing this statement:

“…Brothers, we have accomplished a major step in our struggle…We must continue
what we have started…The only way to achieve our goals is to continue with our
peaceful sit-down…I ask each and every one of my Brothers in this struggle to
continue the fight. ON MONDAY MORNING, WHEN THE DOORS OPEN, CLOSE
THEM. DO NOT GO TO WORK. They cannot do anything to us that they
haven’t already done at one time or another. Brothers, DON’T GIVE UP
NOW. Make them come to the table. Be strong. DO NOT MAKE
MONEY FOR THE STATE THAT THEY IN TURN USE TO KEEP US AS SLAVES….”

When the strike began, prisoner leaders issued the following call: “No more
slavery. Injustice in one place is injustice to all. Inform your family
to support our cause. Lock down for liberty!”

--
A revolution now cannot be confined to the place or people where it may
commence, but flashes with lightning speed from heart to heart, from land to
land, til it has traversed the globe ...
--Frederick Douglass